Researchers just ranked the safest countries in the world to travel in 2024, and Canada proudly took the top position.

Wisconsin-based travel insurance provider Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) publishes its "Safest Destinations" report annually, and in its ninth edition, published late last year, it tracked American travellers' attitudes towards travel safety.

"It sounds like an easy question, but the definition of a safe destination has changed over time," BHTP's report reads.

"According to our research, a safe place was originally a place that's largely free from terrorist activity. Then, it became a place that was safe from disease outbreaks. Now, it's a place where all types of people can move about freely without discrimination or harassment."

With this evolved definition in mind, BHTP surveyed travellers, asking where they'd travelled in the last five years and what they consider a safe destination.

These travellers' ratings were then augmented with other things, like data from the Global Peace Index, the U.S. State Department's travel safety ratings and an average of GeoSure Global scores of each country's major cities.

"From there, we calculate a weighted score that reflects each country's overall safety," said BHTP. "The beauty of this approach is its balance. No one score tips in balance in favour of one country over another, and each score contributes to the overall score."

If you're planning some travel this year, here's what the full ranking, comprising 15 countries, looks like:

Safest countries to travel in 2024

1. Canada
2. Switzerland
3. Norway
4. Ireland
5. Netherlands
6. United Kingdom
7. Portugal
8. Denmark
9. Iceland
10. Australia
11. New Zealand
12. Japan
13. France
14. Spain
15. Brazil

Safest cities to travel in 2024

Regarding the safest cities, only one Canadian city made it into the top 15 list — Montreal, in second place. Honolulu took the top spot, while Reykjavik stood third.

Other standouts on the list include Dubai, Paris, Seoul, Berlin and London:

1. Honolulu
2. Montreal
3. Reykjavik
4. Sydney
5. Amsterdam
6. Dubai
7. Copenhagen
8. London
9. Seoul
10. Venice, Italy
11. Tokyo
12. Berlin
13. Paris
14. Barcelona
15. Orlando

BHTP notes that while this list has traditionally been dominated by Scandinavian nations, Northern Europe and English-speaking countries in Oceania, the 2024 edition highlights Asian and South American nations in the top 15, with Brazil and Japan making the cut.

Are you hoping to travel to one of these countries/cities this year? Keep an eye on the Canadian government's official travel alerts and advisories page before you plan your next trip.